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Little Black Jacket part 2 – materials

This is second part of my mini series on the Chanel jacket course I am attending in March. See part 1 about inspiration here!

Today is all about materials!

The course is based around Vogue pattern V7975.
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(I’ve heard people rave about Vogue 8804 from the Claire Shaeffer Collection but believe its out of print now.)

The pattern calls for Wool and Wool Blends, Tweeds, Boucle, Gabardine and Mediumweight Linen.

Gillian, the instructor from the sewing school, was kind enough to ring me to discuss supplies.

We talked about how classic Chanel jackets are made from boucle or tweed and she explained about Linton fabrics, a leading stockist for Chanel.

If Chanel choose a fabric from Linton for their line the agreement is that no other bolt of that fabric will be sold for two years. This safeguards the design house from replicas appearing in the market and discourages sewers from making themselves a copy at home immediately.

The pattern does allow for other fabrics as I mentioned and Gillian encouraged me try something more trendy if I wanted. I’m not sure I’m the tweed jacket type so I’ve bought a beautifully soft (so lovely I want to cuddle it all day) plain black wool from Samuel Taylor. I picked an unobtrusive black poly-satin lining.

Interfacing is needed but the pattern doesn’t say what weight so I have a metre of medium and a metre of firm weight fusible interfacing and will feel it out as I go.

Notions are listed based on the view you are making. I’m opting for view B with the length of D/E.
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For this view I’m advised to get braid or ribbon for decoration. I decided to use grosgrain ribbon as trim and my current plan is to use it around the neckline, front and jacket hem, as well as at the cuffs and pockets.

Gillian also advised the course would cover some additional techniques for making the jacket not detailed in the V7975 instructions.

As well as interfacing we will be using interlining to add stability, so I have some cotton gauze ready to use.

Also we will be hand stitching chain onto the jacket’s interior hem. This is another traditional element of Chanel jackets, where the chain weighs down the jacket hem to produce a desirable drape. But I couldn’t find any attractive weighted chain so Gillian and I agreed I should use weights inside the hem of the jacket as well as attaching the admittedly light chain I had been able to purchase.

Finally I have three spools of black thread and have pre-wound three bobbins so I don’t have to halt progress if I run out. Part of me wants to use colourful thread in case I need to unpick but can’t think like that. Only success is allowed!!

(4) Comments

  1. Sounds like you’re learning lots! Can’t wait to see it x

  2. Interesting post! Can’t wait to see the finished version. A Chanel inspired lbj was on my sewing list of plans this autumn but I never got to it… I think you will re inspire me!

    1. Thanks Elise! That’s so sweet. Sure you’d make a beautiful version

  3. […] 1, Part 2, Part 3, Hopefully one day I’ll write Part […]

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